Teeth grinding is something that many of us do without even realising; and it isn't until someone informs us that we do it in our sleep that we realise! Some of us grind our teeth throughout the night, and others unknowingly clench and hold their jaw forcefully, at night time or throughout the day.

Over time, these strong muscles develop and growt in size and bulk, and become firm just as any muscle would with repeated use. The results are tight, sore muscles, headaches and jaw pain, bulky enlarged protrusions from the lower face, not to mention pain to the teeth and gums, and damage to the teeth such as fractures and blunting.

Many other treatments, such as anti-inflammatory medications and dental devices, do not address the source of the problem. Although dental devices can successfully protect teeth from damage at night for bruxism sufferers, they are ineffective in stopping the painful side effects of teeth grinding.

By injecting small doses of botulinum toxin directly into the masseter muscle (the large muscle that moves the jaw), the muscle is weakened enough to stop involuntary grinding of the teeth and clenching of the jaw. This significantly relaxes the muscle and reduces the wear and tear on the teeth due to grinding. Damage to the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) and headaches should be reduced or eliminated as well. Voluntary movements, such as chewing and facial expressions, are not affected by this treatment.